Chris Antonetti expected to replace Mark Shapiro as Cleveland Indians GMBy Paul Hoynes, The Plain Dealer February 18, 2010, 9:31AMCLEVELAND -- There could be changes at the top of the Indians organization. Team President Paul Dolan has a press conference scheduled for 1:30 p.m. to discuss matter.

One possibility is that GM Mark Shapiro could take another job in the organization and be replaced by Chris Antonneti, his assistant. The rumored change would not take place until after the 2010 season.

This will be Shapiro's ninth season as general manager. He started working for the Indians in 1992 and worked his way to the top spot on the baseball side of the front office. Antonetti has been Shapiro's top assistant and vice president of baseball operations since Shapiro replaced John Hart in November of 2001.

Antonetti has turned down at least one GM's job and several interview opportunities with other teams to stay with the Indians. He's a graduate of Georgetown University. He joined the Indians in 1996 as an assistant to the baseball operations department.

Waiting for the day when "Next Season" actually becomes "This Season."

If the Dolans sell the team, give me a call. Until then, the identity of the head coupon clipper won't make much difference at all.

Definition,Yinzer : A person who lives in a trailer off government money,drinks iron city beer,has limited intelligence,follows the Steelers, and refuses to accept the fact that their team is actually piss yellow and not gold.

But why announce now if its not happening til the end of the year? Way to try and steal thunder from the CAVS today who actually have an owner who wants to win CHAMPIONSHIPS. I'll bet Shapiro isn't even getting a raise for this so called "promotion"

Definition,Yinzer : A person who lives in a trailer off government money,drinks iron city beer,has limited intelligence,follows the Steelers, and refuses to accept the fact that their team is actually piss yellow and not gold.

The Indians are making a big announcement today that is of little surprise.

In a front-office shakeup set to take place upon the conclusion of the 2010 season, GM Mark Shapiro will be promoted to team president, while his assistant, Chris Antonetti, will assume the GM role. Current president Paul Dolan, meanwhile, will become the club's chairman and CEO.

bac5665 wrote:I understand the point you are trying to make, but equating any Cleveland sports team with the Yankees is highly offensive.

I won't deny that everyone in baseball is broke but the Yankees but the Cavaliers will lose money this year. The Yankees and Red Sox lost money last year. But thier owners wanted to win more than they wanted every last dollar or to show a profit on the team. The Dolans would rather see the profit. Sure, they want to win, but only on their terms. They just dont have the "balls out" desire to win like Gilbert, the Steinbrenners or whoever owns the Red Sox do. Its just fact, they dont want "it". Their actions and their explainations speak for themselves.

Antonetti has been coveted by teams with GM openings but passed with the understanding he would receive his chance in Cleveland. He has taken on a larger role in personnel decisions recently, orchestrating the trade that sent former AL Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee to Philadelphia last summer for prospects.

I can guarantee that Antowhoever will be less successful than Shap was. Shap's best moves came at the expense of the Mariners who have since hired the best, IMO, GM in baseball in Jack Zduriencik. No more Benuardo for Choo/Cabrera trades. Any GM not named Bavasi will kick Shaptonetti's ass in trades.

Antonetti has only one thing going for him. Mirabelli's no longer in charge of the draft.

Skating Tripods wrote:Just curious what everyone's evidence is that confirms Antonetti is a Shapiro clone. You've all been in the room while they discuss things?

Just curious, do you believe that Antonetti is going to scrap Diamond Vision & is going to empty the FO of Shapiro hires.

Shapiro will remain Antonetti's boss. Shap obviously believes in his system. I'm not implying that Antonetti won't have any leeway or power, but I believe that the leash will tighten if he strays too far from the Shapiro orthodoxy.

I don't believe that one needs to be "in the room" to come to that conclusion.

Skating Tripods wrote:Just curious what everyone's evidence is that confirms Antonetti is a Shapiro clone. You've all been in the room while they discuss things?

Just curious, do you believe that Antonetti is going to scrap Diamond Vision & is going to empty the FO of Shapiro hires.

Shapiro will remain Antonetti's boss. Shap obviously believes in his system. I'm not implying that Antonetti won't have any leeway or power, but I believe that the leash will tighten if he strays too far from the Shapiro orthodoxy.

I don't believe that one needs to be "in the room" to come to that conclusion.

Again, I don't see where this makes him a clone. He's keeping people in the positions they've been in, and likely, as Team President, those decisions defer to Shapiro.

I'm sure Antonetti has some different thoughts of how to handle trade and contract negotiations.

I'm not saying that we're going to stray from what we've been doing. But who honestly knows anything about Antonetti? None of us. So, give the guy a little bit of time before we begin crucifying him like Shapiro has been of late.

A God Damn dead man would understand that if a minor league bus in any city took a real sharp right turn, a Zack McCalister would likely fall out. - Lead Pipe

Skating Tripods wrote:Just curious what everyone's evidence is that confirms Antonetti is a Shapiro clone. You've all been in the room while they discuss things?

Just curious, do you believe that Antonetti is going to scrap Diamond Vision & is going to empty the FO of Shapiro hires.

Shapiro will remain Antonetti's boss. Shap obviously believes in his system. I'm not implying that Antonetti won't have any leeway or power, but I believe that the leash will tighten if he strays too far from the Shapiro orthodoxy.

I don't believe that one needs to be "in the room" to come to that conclusion.

Again, I don't see where this makes him a clone. He's keeping people in the positions they've been in, and likely, as Team President, those decisions defer to Shapiro.

I'm sure Antonetti has some different thoughts of how to handle trade and contract negotiations.

I'm not saying that we're going to stray from what we've been doing. But who honestly knows anything about Antonetti? None of us. So, give the guy a little bit of time before we begin crucifying him like Shapiro has been of late.

Antonetti's staff decisions defer to Shapiro?

Substitute "protege" for "clone". Is that better.

You assume that comparing Antonetti to Shap equals disparagement. I was merely implying that we, as Tribe fans, could expect more of the same from the FO. No departures here.

IronMike wrote:Eck, he really brought a unique culture here with the manager he hand picked. I've noticed no one has rushed out to pluck him from the unemployment line.

Yeah, this is what Shapiro said...."I had visions of always working with one manager throughout my entire career," Shapiro said. "The fact that we weren't able to do that will always be a disappointment for me. I look at that more as a collective failure."

Working with 1 manager is a good thing if he had hand picked a good or even mediocre manager. He chose a bottom of the barrel moron & still didn't realize it 7 years later. It took Paul Dolan forcing his hand or Wedge would still be managing the Tribe.

If the Dolans owned BP, they'd give promotions to everyone responsible for the oil spill.

Watt wrote:The Indians are making a big announcement today that is of little surprise.

In a front-office shakeup set to take place upon the conclusion of the 2010 season, GM Mark Shapiro will be promoted to team president, while his assistant, Chris Antonetti, will assume the GM role. Current president Paul Dolan, meanwhile, will become the club's chairman and CEO.